


A Fresh Start

by SuleikasGhosts13



Series: Beyond the Storm [3]
Category: Batman Beyond
Genre: Deleted Scenes, F/M, Fluff, Past Drug Addiction, Rehabilitation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26496721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuleikasGhosts13/pseuds/SuleikasGhosts13
Summary: Prequel to "A Storm of Vigilantism."Mason Forrest (from the "Winning Edge" episode) has moved on.
Relationships: Dana Tan/Mason Forrest
Series: Beyond the Storm [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1853740
Kudos: 1





	1. Fresh Grub

It was a well-known fact that scoring a job at the _Gotham Museum of the Industrial Age_ was essentially winning the lottery ticket. A recommendation from them was certain to overshadow any criminal record when applying for jobs. And while they hired almost exclusively from juvenile hall, open positions were few and far between.

Mason was grateful that the chairman was a fan of the Hill High Hawks and decided to give him a chance. With his history of drug addiction and burglary, not many would.

At the museum, he worked as both mechanic and tour guide. He would wake early in the morning, several hours before the building opened, and maintain the machines' upkeep. Then, he would lead several groups through Gotham's history of being a manufacturing powerhouse.

Mason's uniform was that of a 19th-century factory worker. Convenient for how often oil stains got on his clothes, plus his boss said it made him appear more "authentic." While his friends often made fun of his outfit, joking that he looked like he just walked out of an Oliver Twist adaptation; he wore it with a tremendous amount of pride.

To him, the uniform represented a hard work ethic, reliability, and a kinship to the laborers of this city's past. He'd certainly miss it whenever he decided to move on.

Today was not that day. Today, he was muching on a turkey sandwich in a nearby park on his lunch hour. Waiting on his girlfriend of three weeks to join him.

"Mason!"

"Dana!" He nearly choked in his haste.

"Don't die on me yet, Forrest," she tapped him hard in the small of his back. She was wearing her typical college attire: pencil skirt and sweater. Her long black hair was tied up in a ponytail.

"Sorry," he breathed. 

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

She handed him a biodegradable cup. "Brought you an iced matcha smoothie."

"Thank you, these are my favorites."

Mason considered himself exceptionally lucky. Dana was so considerate and patient. She overlooked his rough past. If he felt lonely, she was only ever a phone call away, although not in a way that was overbearing.

Their relationship almost didn't happen. They hadn't mingled much in high school, and it was completely by chance that they'd met up again at an unofficial class reunion. Instantly, they clicked.

By then, Dana had ditched her high school sweetheart. Terry McGinnis was another juvie brat like him. He seemed to have gotten his life together, milling about as billionaire Bruce Wayne's personal assistant. Despite his gains, he couldn't maintain their relationship past the first year of college.

Maybe it was Dana's overly critical father who scared him off? Honestly, Mason found him intimidating. 

"So... I'm free this Saturday," Dana suggested with a small smile.

He took the hint. "Wanna check out that new Italian restaurant by your place?"

"I'd love to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dana deserves to be happy. Fight me.
> 
> 🤫 We'll be seeing the Museum of the Industrial Age again soon in the main story. 🤫
> 
> Anyways, new chapter of "A Storm of Vigilantism" will be out September 30th.


	2. Get Fresh

"Wh-why are you doing this?" Mason groaned, glaring at the thugs hovering him. He sported a bruised left eye.

"Why? Because I can," Terminal smiled cruelly. He leaned forward, "Because I want to."

As he straightened up, the straight jacket Joker proceeded to kick him in the ribs. His gang followed suit.

_Wham._

Blood gushed from his nose as he felt the searing pain of the cartilage breaking. His hands jumped to protect his face, and the girl in pigtails took the opportunity to jab him in the stomach.

When he changed out of his uniform and left the office, Mason wasn't expecting to find these Jokerz pouring gasoline cans all over the ancient machinery. He shouted at them to stop, but they just cackled and continued. When he tried to forcibly rip their canisters from their hands, they knocked him to the pavement.

"Not so tough now, ey Forrest?"

_Crunch_. Terminal stomped on his fingers, grinding them into the cement floor.

He cowered in a fetal position and tried to shield his head with his arms.

"What did those curators see in a junkie like you?"

"Not your attitude, for one," a deep voice rumbled from the ceiling.

"It's the Bat! Run for it!" Someone squeaked. Mason heard hurried footsteps that ended in a painful grunt as they tripped.

"Better luck next time, Baldy."

"SLAG HIM!"

_Whoosh. Cling._ _Clatter._

Mason peaked from under his limbs to see several plasma pistols dropped. One had a batarang lodged in its nozzle. Their owners backed away.

Batman swooped in, instantly railing on these circus freaks. A kick to the groin sent the tall guy buckling. An uppercut knocked the girl in pigtails unconscious.

"Just you and me now, Carter," Batman growled.

His opponent merely laughed, cracking his knuckles. "The fun's only started, Bats."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to expand this one-shot.


End file.
